My pot belly pig started developing about two weeks ago what appeared to be a paralysis in the hind quarters. This has progressed to total lost of appetite and what appears to be comatose behavior (first brief periods of time in the past week to almost constant comatose state). The pig isn't eating at all, but did drink water this morning. She experienced a nose bleed about a week ago at the time the intermittent comatose states started. This whole thing started about two weeks after we moved to a new location and has never happened before on similar moves.

No vets here will touch a pot belly pig at all. I've asked vets who normally handle common varieties of pigs and they adamantly refuse to even look at the animal, end of story.

Anyone out there who has a PB pig who has seen or heard of anything like this before?

The only think I can think of is a stroke or some kind of odd palsy. The pig goes from essentially normal behavior to a comatose state and flips back and fourth between both states, and the problem is getting progressively worse.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

__________________Gilmore Horsemanship
"If people treated other people like horses treated other horses there'd be a lot fewer jackasses in the world!" ------- MeTȟašúŋke Witkó?

I thought that too at first, but the pig was normal the first two-three weeks and then it set in.

At first she acted like her feet were sore and then her hind quarters looked week, then she started to lose her appetite, then the semi-paralysis of the hind end and now the increasing bouts of the comatose state. She is eight years old which is about the life expectancy for a pot belly pig. She's always been perfectly healthy.

She got better a day or two ago, ate food and then went into the funk again. It seems that after she eats a little she deteriorates even more. Her weight is normal. It's really strange.

__________________Gilmore Horsemanship
"If people treated other people like horses treated other horses there'd be a lot fewer jackasses in the world!" ------- MeTȟašúŋke Witkó?

I know nothing about the pigs, I had one but he was healthy and I had to give him away because he started to attack my dogs.
But is there a zoo or animal park that perhaps you can call and talk to their vet? It is too bad that you want to do right by this little pig and no one wants to see it.

I contacted a local private zoo to see if they could point me to a vet who could work with pot belly pigs. None of their vets would touch pot belly pigs. It appears the vets (like human doctors) are practicing 'defensive medicine'.

My guess is that the pig isn't going to last another day.

__________________Gilmore Horsemanship
"If people treated other people like horses treated other horses there'd be a lot fewer jackasses in the world!" ------- MeTȟašúŋke Witkó?

I had a pot belly a few years back, his name was levi..SUPER TINY...he go the same thing, the vet I took him to said he got a virus that settled in his joints, they tried to give meds, but by the time, he got that way it was too, late...It was awful...He was the sweetest pig ever..

I contacted a local private zoo (a number of exotic animals there) earlier today and am still waiting for their vet to contact me. They were supposed to call back by 5 tonight but still no response so far at 6.

We managed to get the pig to drink a couple of tablespoons of water. She is lucid and actually trying to move around. She can stand if you get her up and her balance has improved but still not eating or drinking. Now her feces is black indicating upper GI bleeding. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't a sudden and massive bleeding ulcer. She's now starting to lose weight. I've given up on any help from vets, even the ones that do exotic animals. The universities never respond.

__________________Gilmore Horsemanship
"If people treated other people like horses treated other horses there'd be a lot fewer jackasses in the world!" ------- MeTȟašúŋke Witkó?

Doesn't that just make you want to scream at someone? It's not like you own the only potbellied pig on the planet. Someone has got to have some knowledge - if not of a potbelly specifically, at least of a pig!

I'm so very angry and sad for you.

Though, I have a PB and I know none of my vets would help me, either.

Hugs. Really. I know it's hard.

__________________
"Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

I'm thinking of sending a sarcastic "thank you" note to the people who offered to help but never called back for all the help they offered but never delivered.

What really irks me is that people on the face are so helpful and then do nothing after they claim they are willing to help.

What's wrong with people like that? Don't they have the guts to come right out and say that they can't help or aren't willing to help? Do they just figure that if they ignore something after they say they can help it's OK? Not even a 'sorry, we can't help'. Nothing. Not a peep.

Oh, and to top it off, one vet who said they didn't work with pot belly pigs but offered me a good barbecue sauce recipe asked me about the pig today. I told the vet the pig died and the vet's response was, "why didn't you call me when the pig first got sick?"

As they say in the army... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?! I told them, "You sorry arse Son of a (expletive deleted) *female dog*. I called your worthless arse two weeks ago and all you offered in terms of help was a culinary sauce recipe for pork. If the pig was a horse would you have sent me to a fast food joint for an order of fries to go along with it?"

Maybe I'm just a jackass, but I expect someone who offered me help to at least call me back and let me know that they couldn't help so I could try to figure out what to do next.

__________________Gilmore Horsemanship
"If people treated other people like horses treated other horses there'd be a lot fewer jackasses in the world!" ------- MeTȟašúŋke Witkó?

As for the call backs I don't know why they didn't return your call maybe though just maybe they never got your message it happens. Maybe they only got part of it? I know it happens people get in a hurry and don't give all the information so if there was a middle person just maybe that's what happened...I know doesn't help you still lost the pig I'd be mad too.

Sorry no one helped and sorry for your loss of the pig, no matter what kind of animal it is, it still is part of the family and we feel so helpless when we can not help them. Too bad some people are just rude and inconsiderate.

I'm sorry to read that you lost your beloved pet pig. Chances are there wasn't anything that could be done to save him. I know how it feels owning something that isn't in the norm of veterinary medicine. So I guess we love them for the time that was given us and morn their passing when their gone. (((hugs))) You tried to do your best by him.

__________________ May your troubles be less, Your blessings be more,
and nothing but happiness come through your barn door.

last night i went in to the barn to feed and my animals were flipping out i found my pot belly not using his rear end i rushed him to our ranch equine hospital for x rays no broken bones he is and has been since last night very coma like the doc said give him a beer for the carbs and sugar he is not getting any better anyone no a secret or anything that might work

last night i went in to the barn to feed and my animals were flipping out i found my pot belly not using his rear end i rushed him to our ranch equine hospital for x rays no broken bones he is and has been since last night very coma like the doc said give him a beer for the carbs and sugar he is not getting any better anyone no a secret or anything that might work

Wish I had some advice for you. It sounded from the old thread as if there wasn't much that could be done ...

Gilmore, you around?

__________________ "Human, we'll get along just fine once you realize that I'm the one training you." --Equinonymous